APEC 2017: "Creating a new momentum, looking after a common future together"

VietNamNet Bridge – We can see the attention, strong support and the expectations of the APEC members and the business community for the APEC Year 2017 in Vietnam.

A discussion panel at APEC Summit 2016

At the 24th APEC Summit in Peru, the members highly appreciated and strongly supported the proposal of the Vietnam for the APEC Year 2017. On the official forum, Vietnamese leaders also identified the organization of the APEC Year 2017 as a priority of Vietnam’s foreign policy in order to implement far-reaching international integration and improve the multilateral foreign policy.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh was quoted by the local media as saying that, as the host, this year Vietnam attended the APEC Summit Week in Peru with a special status. Through discussions at the conference as well as in bilateral meetings, he realized the attention and strong support and expectations of the members as well as business community for the APEC Year 2017 in Vietnam.

APEC members completely agreed with Vietnam’s proposal on the topic of the APEC Year 2017: "Creating a new momentum, looking after the common future together", the priorities and the organization plan of activities in the year 2017 to reflect general expectations of the members of joining effort to create new momentum for APEC to regain economic and trade growth, to expand cooperation into new areas, and to deepen regional integration to meet the development needs of the new members.

Besides, the countries in the region also showed the determination to build a vision for APEC after 2020, raising the position of APEC, thereby contributing to "foster common future" which is the construction of a peaceful, stable, developed and prosper Asia-Pacific community; showing the desire to strengthen and elevate the cooperation partnership with Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh explained, "that trust is thanks to the new position and strength of our country after 30 years of renovation as well as our positive contribution for APEC. International friends also appreciate Vietnam’s independent, self-reliance foreign policy and the success with the imprints of Vietnam when it hosted the APEC Year 2006".

While attending the APEC Summit Week 2016 in Peru, President Tran Dai Quang met with many APEC leaders. He also attended the Vietnam-Peru Business Forum and talked with leaders of many leading corporations in the region, such as the Union of American Businesses in APEC.

Through these meetings, we can see that APEC leaders highly appreciated the increasing position of Vietnam in the region and the world and they wished to further promote relations with our country. The Vietnamese President spoke extensively with leaders of APEC member countries on the orientations and measures to further deepen bilateral relations and enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in international multilateral forums and regions, including APEC.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son told the media that the bilateral meetings achieved many concrete, practical results. Notably, Vietnam and Peru signed three important agreements on cooperation in culture, drug prevention and fisheries. The two sides also agreed to create more favorable conditions for enterprises to access the Southeast Asian and Latin American markets, further promoting investment cooperation in various areas, including telecommunications, oil and gas and fishery ...

APEC leaders thanked Vietnamese President’s invitation to the APEC Summit Week in November 2017 in Da Nang. They highly appreciated the attentive preparation of Vietnam and affirmed their support and collaboration to Vietnam to have a successful APEC Year 2017. Besides, many countries also looked forward to continue their close cooperation with Vietnam at multilateral, regional and international forums.

The leaders of groups appreciated the economic prospects of Vietnam and our efforts to improve the investment environment and business in Vietnam. Many large corporations asserted that they will increase investment in Vietnam to welcome the new opportunities from the country’s international economic integration, especially the ASEAN Community and the new-generation Free Trade Agreements that are about to take effect, which Vietnam has participated in. They also confirmed to actively participate in the activities within the framework of APEC Year 2017 in Vietnam.

Bich Thuy

APEC 2017: "Creating a new momentum, looking after a common future together"